Aerial bomb



S. HOUGH.

AERIAL 80MB. APPLlcATioy FILED JULY s. |919.

1,394,902. y Patna ont. 25, 1921.'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

S. HOUGH.

AERIAL BOMB. 4

APPLICATION FILED IULY 9| i919.

1,394,902, Patented oct. 25, 1921.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Application filed July 9, 1919.

To all 'whom t may conce-m:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL HOUGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atco, in the county of Camden and State oi'z New Jersey,have invented new and useful Improvements in Aerial Bombs, of which thefollowing is a specilication.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in aerial bombs,and has for its object to so construct a bomb of this description as toadapt it for release from a flying machine or other source at a heightabove the object 'to be destroyed and cause it to all through the air inan upright position. y

A further object of my invention is to provide for the cushioning of theexplosive in such manner that the bomb may be readily handled forshipment and the like without danger of accidental discharge.

A still further object of my invention is to so surround the explosivewith shrapnel bullets that when the explosion takes place there will bea tendency to project the majority of these bullets Vat a downwardangle.

With these ends in view, this invention I consists in the details ofconstruction and hereinafter lset designated by the as to fully.illustrate the'construction thereoi. Y

Fig. 2,. is a section at the line 2-2 or Fig. 1, and

rig. 3,. is a section at the line 3-3 of F ig. l.

In carryingout mv invention as here emj bodied, 1 represents the outercasing which is bulged or enlarged near the bottom thereof as indicatedat 2 and this casing is closed at the top with the head 4L `andat thebottom by the head5 annular grooves being formed in the' heads for thereception of the edges of the casing as indicated at 6.

The head 4l is provided with a hub 7 which is threaded for the receptionof the upperend of the tube 8 while the head 5 is also provided with asimilar hub 9 which .Specification of Letters Patent.

AERIAL BOMB.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Serial No. 309,761.

is threaded for the reception or' the loweil end of the tube 8, and thescrewing of these hubs into the end of the tube 8 will ascentage 'ofthese bullets lie within the en*v largement 2v of the casing thusgivingincreased weight to the lower portion of the bomb so that in falling`this increased weight and the lower end will cause the bomb to remain'verticaly while falling.

Il which is preferably of cylindrical :form and is suspended within thetube 8 by the coil spring 12 attached to the upper end thereof and tothe hub of the head l? This form or suspension for the explosivecontainer permits a gentle movement of said container instant to thehandling of the bomb, but prevents shocks or sharp vibrations fromreaching it. Y

The lower end of the container 11 is provided with a neck13 throughwhich the con tainer may be lilled with Athe explosive and this neck isconnected by a rubber or other flexible tube 14 to the nipple 15threaded through the partition 16 which latter is threaded into thelower end of the tube 8. This arrangement while permitting the container11 to have a slight swinging Inovement in all directions holds itapproximately in the center of the tube 8 and the partition 16 dividesorf and forms a chainber in the major portion oi' the tube 8 whichchamber is filled with any suitable gelatin substance which will serveto stabilize the container 11 and at the same time prevent its radicaldisplacement affording va cushion to said container which will abil sorbexternal. shocks and jars and overcome any tendency to explode ordetonate.

17 represents the detonating cartridge which is fitted within the lowerend of the nipple 15 and there held by the ring 18 whichY latter issecured to the .partition 16.

419 represents the iiring pin which passes through the cap 2O threadedupon the nipple 21 which in turn is threaded into the hub 9 and thisfiring pin has a shoulder 22 which limits its retraction, the spring 23bearing upon the pin 24 serving to normally hold represents theexplosive container the pin in the position shown in Fig. l, or in itsretracted position.

25 represents the ring plug which passes into the nipple 2l having itsmovements therein limited by the screvs7 26 which latter.

is threaded t-hrough the boss 27 formed upon the head 5 and projectsinto a groove 28 formed lengthwise of the firing plug. Thus while thefiring plug may not be withdrawn until the screw 26 is removed yet ithas a limited sliding movement. This tiring plug 25 carries a shoe 29which is intended to contact with the ground or any other object uponwhich the bomb may fall and when so contacting will be forced upwarddriving the firing plug into cont-act with the firing pin 19 which inturn being orced'against the cap of the cartridge 17 tiring saidcartridge and in consequence thereof exploding the charge in thecontainer 1l. This exploding of he charge will burst the bomb scatteringthe 'shrapnel bullets over a wide range it giving the majority of saidbullets a sliding downward angle which will make them most effectivewhen falling upon buildings and the like.

lVhile the gelatin like material contained .within the tube 8surrounding the explosive container maybe of inert material and have noactive par'tin the destructiveness of the bomb, yet I prefer that thisgelatin matter may be charged with suchY chemicals as will cause it toignite and when scattered carrying it in the form of re or burningparticles and that it may also give off deadly gases.

In order that the bomb may be made safe before handling and shipment, Iprovide a locking screw. 30 which is threaded through the boss 27 into arecess or spot formed in the firing plug 25 so that when this screw isin place in this spot the tiring pin can not be operated to dischargethe bomb or just prior to the bomb being out in action this screw isbacked so-as to free the firing plug for its intended function. 31 isaring anchored in the head 7 for suspending the bomb prior to its beingdropped from a flying machine or other source.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits ofthe appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis l. Ini a bomb of the character described an outer casing, a tubelocated in said casing in such manner as to form a compartment betweenthe casing and said tube, a head threaded into each end of the tube,each l ed to each of the heads, shrapnel bullets filling the spacebetween the inner walls of the casing and the outer walls of the tube, apartitionV secured in the lower portion of the tube, the explosivecontainer suspended within the tube and the partition, a gelatin masswithin the tube surrounding the con' tainer, and means for exploding thecontents or". the container.

Tn a bomb of the character descrlbed,

an outer casing having an enlargementaround the lower portion thereof, atube occupying the central portion of the casing in such manner as toform a receptacle for shrapnel bullets and the'explosive containerlocated within the tube, a spring for suspending said container, a`cartridge holder, means for Hexibly connecting the lower end of thecontainer with said cartridge holder, a Firing pin, means for normallyholding said tiring pin in its retracted position, a firing plug, acontact shoe carried by said plug, and means for limiting the movementof said firing plug.

el. A bomb of the character described, an out-er casing forming areceptacle for shrapnel bullets, said casing having an enlarge-V mentnear its lower portion so as to increase its holding capacity for Saidbullets at that point, a tube located within the casing so as heads, apartition within said tube adjacent.

one end thereof, and an explosive container suspended within the tubewith its walls normally spaced from the Walls of thetube.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto altxed my signature.

SAMUEL HoUeH.

